USC Embeds The 'At Risk' Youth Program to Better The Community of Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, June 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Riki Ellison, Chairman and
Founder of the Youth Impact Program and a three time Super Bowl winner with
the San Francisco 49ers and an USC alumnus, announced today that the
University of Southern California has its fourth opening for the Youth Impact
Program. It is one of the nation's most innovative "at risk" programs for the
community of Los Angeles that begins at USC today. The Youth Impact Program
(YIP) invests in "at risk" below the poverty line young boys from 9 to 12
years old in a 5-week intense program through using USC facilities, staff,
student athletes and local elementary teachers. Student athletes
participating from USC include Rhett Ellison, Aaron Corps, Justin Hart, Trevon
Patterson, Ronald Johnson, C.J. Gable, Shane Horton and Marshall Jones.

The program provides food, clothing, transportation, mathematics, language
arts, football, and life skills development to include Anger Management,
Conflict Resolution, Drug Education and permanent mentoring relationships
between the boys and local teachers, staff and student athletes of USC. Local
Congresswoman Diane E. Watson (D-33) has been an advocate and champion of this
educational effort in Los Angeles and in the U.S. Congress.

This joint community effort that costs about $1,000 investment in each boy is
changing their lives at a critical formative age which if not changed would
cost the community about $36,000 a year for incarceration costs as the
national statistics show a good portion of urban 'at risk' boys will end up in
prison if not attended to.

The Youth Impact Program at USC uses football to attract the young boys to
come in off of the streets in the summer, and it exposes them to the
University and its support structure in their community. Support of the Youth
Impact Program is provided by USC and the NFL Youth Football Fund.

It is an integrated partnership between the local community, USC, the
municipality of Los Angeles and the NFL to make a difference in the lives of
young minority urban at-risk boys that will change our communities for the
better.

The program is a national program that is in its fourth year at USC with
additional sites in Houston, New Orleans and Tampa. The Youth Impact Program
has received a Joint Congressional Resolution for its achievements. The YIP
program runs through the month of July with a year-round program to follow
where the boys will continue to be monitored and mentored on a monthly basis
at USC.

For more information on the program contact Riki Ellison, YIP Chairman and
Founder at 703 778-6192 or Mike Terrill at 602 885-1955. The YIP website is
located at www.youthimpactprogram.org.

NOTES TO MEDIA:
1. Tim Tessalon, SID for USC, is at 213 740-3811 and he can help with
interviews and photo opportunities for the YIP program.
2. If you desire an interview with Riki Ellison, the Chairman and Founder of
YIP, call Mike Terrill at 602 885-1955 to arrange.

SOURCE Youth Impact Program

Mike Terrill, +1-602-885-1955, for Youth Impact Program